Jar of Hearts
by Lotus Fantasy
Summary: Oneshot: "Sasuke's hand covered his, and for a little while neither spoke. Then Sasuke ended the silence with words that broke Naruto's heart." Comments and warnings within, rated M to be safe.


**A plot bunny that came while I was listening to Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts". Next up: new chapter of my other two stories.**

**Rating: PG-15 for language, angst, and mentions of non-con**

**AU, ONESHOT, NARU+SASU**

* * *

_"Who do you think you are, runnin' 'round leaving scars, collecting your jar of hearts . . . ?"_

_-Jar of Hearts_

His phone rang just past two in the morning. The ringtone surprised him, bringing him awake much faster than normal. Fumbling for the lamp, he almost knocked it over in his haste. Snatching the phone, he pressed the answer key and put it to his ear.

"Hello? Sasuke? Hello?"

There was a heavy silence. He was considering breaking into it when he abruptly heard a soft sound that made his heart begin to pound. A faint, choked sob.

"Naruto," the familiar voice of his best friend all but whispered.

Naruto clutched the phone closer. "Sasuke? What is it, kitten? Are you all right? Where are you?"

Sasuke let out a weak, quiet laugh. It ended in another sob. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Can you . . . will you come pick me up?"

"Of course," Naruto said, throwing back the blankets and leaping out of bed. "Where are you?" He pulled on his jeans and sneakers.

"By the . . . 24-hour market a few blocks from Jin's place," Sasuke replied.

"Stay on the phone," Naruto ordered, charging out of his flat and down to his car. "What happened, kitten? Tell me why you're crying."

"I went to see Jin," came the reply after a pause.

Naruto's vision tinged red at the edges. "What did that bastard do to you?"

"He . . . invited me," Sasuke said, voice low.

It held something Naruto couldn't remember hearing before. Jin, the asshole who'd been controlling Sasuke's life for seven months now, was Sasuke's boyfriend. He was eight years older than Sasuke, and he had caused Sasuke pain and guilt aplenty. This was more like betrayal.

"What did he do?" Naruto growled, far exceeding the speed limit.

"Just . . . just hurry," Sasuke whispered. "Please."

"Shit," Naruto hissed, raking fingers through his already-mussed hair. "I'm going to kill him. Stay on the phone, baby. I'll keep talking. You just stay on the phone."

Normally that nickname would get a rise out of Sasuke. His best friend was touchy about all endearments except kitten. The other didn't reply, but Naruto could hear the faint sound of his breathing. It sounded labored. Almost as if . . .

He was in pain.

_If Jin touched you, kitten, I swear to god I'm going to kill him._ He rattled on for a while about his day, talking about their mutual female friends Sakura and Ino, mentioning that they'd asked him to watch their two big dogs for the weekend so they could go on a trip. He talked about work, poking fun at his scruffy co-worker Kiba who had the biggest crush on a fellow co-worker but couldn't work up the nerve to ask her out.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally pulled into the parking lot of the 24-hour market. He'd barely thrown his car into park when he lunged out, eyes racing for Sasuke. He didn't stop talking until he spotted his friend, sitting on the far curb between the building and a grungy pair of payphones.

Pocketing his phone, he knelt in front of Sasuke. His worst fears were confirmed. Half the left side of Sasuke's face was marred with darkening bruises, his eye swollen shut. For several seconds Naruto could barely breathe he was so angry.

Reaching out, he gently cupped Sasuke's chin and tilted his face to the side. "He hit you," he whispered, sibilant and infuriated. "That bastard hit you."

A frigid hand covered his. Sasuke's single visible eye, glimmering with unshed tears, met his. "Just take me home." He sounded worn out.

"Okay," Naruto acquiesced, "but I'm taking you home with me. You shouldn't be alone right now." _I can't leave you alone right now._

He had to help Sasuke up, and his friend staggered against him as if drunk. Or in a lot of pain. He wanted to insist they go to the hospital, but he knew Sasuke would refuse and get angry. Better to just get him home and into bed where he could rest and recover.

Sasuke didn't speak the whole way home, giving Naruto time to his own thoughts. Reflecting wasn't his favorite pastime. As Sakura would say, he was a doer, not a thinker. Far better to just tackle problems than to think about them. And the problem here was a big one.

Naruto was madly, hopelessly in love with Sasuke. Had been for a decade. At least. But as a teen he'd made a stupid, idiotic comment to Sasuke that he wasn't gay and would _never_ be interested in guys. His friend, sensitive about the topic of being gay, had clammed up and not spoken to him for a week before Naruto cornered him and demanded to know what the problem was.

_"Do I disgust you?"_

_ "What? Of course not! Why would you say that?"_

_ "Because I'm gay."_

_ "Uh . . . shit, what gave you that idea? I don't have a problem with gays. Hell, Sakura and Ino have been doin' it since 7th grade!"_

_ "You said you would never be interested in guys. You said it like the thought disgusted you."_

_ "Fuck, I'm sorry, Sasuke. I was just . . . I meant _I'm_ not gay, not that I have a problem with those who are."_

It hadn't helped that in high school, Naruto was a jock and Sasuke was into literature and art. Sasuke had come out but hesitantly at Sakura and Ino's encouraging. He'd sort of become the pinup boy at the school because he was beautiful and slender. It had changed Sasuke from a sweet, smiling boy to a cold one.

Which just made it worse, somehow. The girls swooned like lovesick fools over his dark, brooding exterior. The boys loved to get reactions out of him—which usually ended in tears. After all, Sasuke's entire family were _very_ skilled in martial arts.

Naruto parked his car and sprang out to open Sasuke's door for him. His friend didn't comment, just allowed Naruto to lead him inside. Naruto helped him, touching way more than necessary. He was always like this. Touched, flirted, paid way more attention to Sasuke than a straight friend would. After all, since high school he'd been trying to make up for that stupid comment.

_What I should have said was, I want you all to myself. Let's go out._

Sitting Sasuke down on the couch, he hurried to the freezer and got an ice gel pack. He wrapped it in a towel and came back out, directing Sasuke to lie down. Sasuke obeyed, gingerly placing the pack over his eye.

"So tell me what happened," Naruto said gently, reaching over and taking Sasuke's free hand.

"He picked me up at seven," Sasuke said quietly, sounding utterly defeated. "Around nine he told me to run to that market to get some beer."

"You don't like beer," Naruto said.

"No," Sasuke agreed.

Naruto ground his teeth. _So he ordered you to go get some for him. God I hate that bastard._ "And?"

"When I was walking back, there was someone coming out of his apartment," Sasuke continued, softer now. "My age. Maybe a little older. He was crying."

Oh, he could see the writing on the wall. Naruto felt his stomach clench.

"He looked up at me," the raven went on. "He looked . . . sympathetic. He didn't talk to me, and I didn't stop him. But I knew. I think I've known for a long time." His uncovered eye closed, and a tear streaked down his pale cheek.

"He's been cheating on you," Naruto hissed.

Sasuke nodded. "I confronted Jin. He said what he did was none of my business. All I had to do was just be with him. I . . . god, I was so mad and hurt, and . . . I couldn't accept that." He opened his eye and turned his head to look at Naruto. The ebony surface was shiny with tears. "How could I accept that?"

Naruto lifted Sasuke's hand to his cheek and squeezed. His heart ached. "You don't have to," he murmured. "How long has he been cheating on you?"

"I don't know," Sasuke replied, now staring at the ceiling. "Since the beginning? All he would say is, '_I can fuck whoever I want, including you.'_ I . . . I was so mad. I shouldn't have, but I punched him."

Naruto almost choked on sudden laughter. "What?"

Sasuke's eye fluttered shut, a faint smile teasing at his lips. "Right in the jaw." The smile disappeared. "He hit me back." Lifting the icepack, he tilted his head to again display the ugly bruising. "Almost knocked me out." He took a deep breath and winced.

Naruto lowered Sasuke's hand and lifted up the raven's shirt. Confirming his suspicions, bruises mottled his pale chest and stomach. "Did more than hit you back. That fucking bastard."

Sasuke's hand covered his, and for a little while neither spoke. Then Sasuke ended the silence with words that broke Naruto's heart.

"He raped me."

It was said very matter-of-fact. Clinical. Almost cold. Naruto wanted to scream. "Oh, Sasuke . . ."

His raven would no longer meet his eyes. "I'm used to him being rough, so it didn't hurt very much. I just . . . didn't want it. I didn't want him to touch me."

Naruto had to swallow tears. Tears of anger, remorse, and pain. _I should have done something sooner. I should have told Sasuke how I felt two years ago when I had the chance. Then maybe he never would have started dating Jin. None of this would have happened. But no, I had to be a damn coward._ He lifted Sasuke's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"What can I do, kitten? Tell me what I can do to make this better."

Sasuke finally looked at him. Then he sighed and closed his eye. "Nothing. Just coming to get me is enough."

It wasn't. Not by a longshot. But Naruto had a feeling his best friend wouldn't accept fussing and fretting. No matter how much Naruto wanted to fuss over him and take care of him.

"Okay," he said after a pause. "But you're going to stay here for a few days. No arguments."

Not even token protest escaped Sasuke's lips. He just nodded. Another silence fell, but it didn't last as long as the first. "I want to take a shower."

Naruto rose, taking the icepack. Sasuke accepted help getting up, but he wouldn't lean on Naruto. Once they reached the bathroom, he stripped with total disregard for Naruto's presence. It gave the taller man a chance to see the extent of his injuries. The bruises liberally decorated his chest and upper stomach, but they weren't as bad as he'd initially feared.

"I'll get you a clean towel and a pair of sweatpants," he said, turning to go. "That work?"

"As long as they're not orange," Sasuke said, giving Naruto a sideways smile that didn't reach his eyes. The left one wasn't nearly as swollen any longer, but it still wasn't open.

"No orange," Naruto promised with a half-hearted chuckle.

Sasuke took a long shower. So long there couldn't be any hot water left. Naruto almost went in and checked on him, but a sound suspiciously like a sob stopped him. He had a feeling Sasuke wouldn't appreciate it, and he'd suffered enough for one night.

**o0o 0o0 o0o**

At eight, Naruto's cell alarm warbled. Reaching over, he turned it off and stared at the ceiling for several seconds. _So. What do I do now? I definitely wanted Sasuke to finally break up with that bastard, but not like this. I can't kill him. If I do that I'll be arrested, and then how will I take care of Sasuke?_

Worst part was, he wasn't even half joking.

Sighing, he rolled over and got off the couch. Quietly as he could, he padded to his bedroom and eased open the door. Sprawled and tangled in the sheets as he was, Sasuke looked peacefully asleep. Nightmares didn't seem to be tormenting him, at least. His artist's imagination often troubled him with unpleasant dreams.

Sasuke was so completely out he didn't so much as stir when Naruto crossed the room and brushed the backs of his fingers over the raven's forehead. It was too warm, but the fever wasn't really high. Caused by stress, most likely. Retreating, Naruto carefully closed the door.

_I don't want to leave him alone. I'm sure I could get the day off._ Mind thus made up, he took a quick shower. Getting dressed, he grabbed his keys and headed out.

One of the nicest things about his apartment was its location. Right downtown, he could walk everywhere he needed to go. And right down the block was the best damn coffee shop in the city. Drop of Heaven was owned and run by Sakura and Ino, and they could usually be convinced to give him a free doughnut.

There were a handful of people inside. Only Sakura was behind the counter, and she gave him a summery smile.

"Mornin', handsome. You're in an hour early. The usual?"

"Yeah," Naruto replied, "for me. Can you also get me a drip coffee, no cream or sugar, and a plain half bagel with cream cheese and a couple slices of tomato?"

"Of course," she said, tossing bubblegum-pink hair off her shoulder. "Odd request for you."

"Sasuke stayed the night with me."

She blinked, sudden clarity entering her pretty jade eyes. "Oh. Well, that explains it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Explains what?"

"Jin was in here this morning," she said, "asking if I'd seen Sasuke or knew where he was."

Naruto closed his eyes and breathed slowly through his nose. "Bastard."

She turned from her espresso machine. "He is, but what makes you say that?"

"This stays between us," Naruto warned. "He hit Sasuke last night. Banged him up pretty good."

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. "Fucker. I'm glad I couldn't answer him. Never liked the prick."

"You and me both," Naruto muttered. "I'm gonna stay with Sasuke today. He was pretty shaken."

"I'm sure," she murmured, wrapping the bagel and Naruto's usual blueberry scone. "Take that to him on us. I think we'll close up for lunch and come see him."

Smiling, Naruto took the pastries and coffee. "Thanks, sugar. I'm sure he'd like that. Make sure you bring your dogs."

"Of course! They always cheer anyone up."

Leaving Drop of Heaven, Naruto continued down the block to his next stop: a newspaper and magazine stand run by another good friend, Choji. The rotund guy was alwas eating something or another. He waved at Naruto, then frowned at his watch.

"You're fifty minutes early! What gives?"

Naruto snorted. "You and Sakura know my routine too damn well."

Choji handed him a copy of today's newspaper and the latest issues of _Dog Lovers_ and _Global Economics_. "You stick to it, man. I time my bathroom breaks by your routine. Now my BM is going to be all out of whack."

". . . uh, one of the creepiest things you've ever said to me," Naruto muttered.

"Speaking of," Choji said, accepting cash for the magazines, "that creepy dude Sasuke's dating came by asking if I knew where Sasuke was. Since he's your best friend, d'you know what's going on? I thought it was real weird."

Naruto's temper flared. _I'm sure I could make his death look like an accident. Not one single person would miss that slimy bastard._ "Sasuke stayed the night with me," he said. "Thanks, keep the change. And good luck with your BM."

Choji nodded as he ate some chips. "Thanks, man."

When Naruto got home, a dull-eyed Sasuke was emerging from the bedroom. The swelling around his eye was gone, but the bruising was a colorful montage of purple, green, and yellow. Naruto closed the door with his foot.

"Hey, sleepy. Brought you coffee and a bagel."

Moving slowly, Sasuke followed him to the kitchen and sat down on one of the island's stools. "Thank you," he murmured, unwrapping the bagel and looking pleasantly surprised. "My favorite?"

"Yeah, well, I always notice things about the people I care about," Naruto said with a smile. _Specially you._

Sasuke ate it slowly, wincing every once in a while. Those bruises had to hurt. Naruto started in on his scone.

"I called work. Told 'em I'm not coming in today."

Sasuke looked up, the beginnings of a glare glittering in his eyes. "I don't need—"

"No, you don't," Naruto agreed, interrupting. "_I_ need to. Jin was asking our friends where you are this morning. Fortunately none of them had any idea."

A plethora of emotions vied for dominance on Sasuke's face. Anxiety, anger, disgust, fear, and even longing. It all melted away behind exhaustion. "How could he even think I want to see him?" he mumbled, covering his face with a hand.

That sounded rhetorical, so Naruto didn't answer. He just finished his scone and latte in silence, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one.

o0o

Halfway through eating what Naruto had brought him, Sasuke got tired of the bagel. He picked off the tomatoes, scooping up as much cream cheese as he could and eating just the fruit. The rest of the bagel he pushed away and picked up the coffee. No cream, no sugar. Just black and rich and bitter.

Closing his eyes, he held the cup against his lips without drinking. He merely breathed in the dark scent. His body hurt, but not as much as he might have thought. His ass and hips were sore, and he wished the pain in his chest and stomach were so much that he didn't notice . . . down below . . . as much.

Being able to feel the remnants of Jin's violation on his body was far more painful than the beating he'd delivered. Even though that had hurt much worse than Jin fucking him. Holding him down by the back of his neck and just . . . taking what he wanted.

Hot moisture stung his eyes, and he had to blink to prevent more tears. _It didn't hurt that much. It wasn't even that different from how he normally does it. It wasn't that bad. It wasn't that bad._ No tears fell, so he wasn't quite sure how Naruto knew his inner turmoil. Sasuke was just suddenly wrapped up in a firm, warm, strong embrace.

"You can cry if you want, baby," Naruto whispered in his ear. "There's no one here but me."

Somehow, the coffee was on the island and Sasuke was clinging to Naruto with tears pouring down his face without any memory of moving. "Stupid," he choked through the suffocating emotion. "So stupid."

"What is, hm?" Naruto murmured, fingers stroking through Sasuke's hair.

Now they were on the couch somehow. Sasuke buried his face in Naruto's neck, wanting nothing more than to burrow into him and never face the world again. "H-he didn't hurt me that much. So why c-can't I stop crying?"

"He took something that wasn't his to take," Naruto said, voice low and very soothing. "Just get it all out, baby. I'm right here."

Sasuke had always, always hated it when Naruto used endearments like that. It made him feel like Naruto was humoring him because he was gay. Right now, it was oddly comforting.

It wasn't long before the tears dried up. Plainly, Sasuke didn't want to cry over Jin. Soon his breathing evened out. _I should get up._ He shouldn't just lay here in Naruto's arms like some pathetic, broken fool. But his body disobeyed his head, remaining leaden and unresponsive.

"I think you should stay here a few days," Naruto said abruptly, startling Sasuke. "Sakura and Ino are going on a trip, and they asked me to take care of Poison and Lady. They're a handful, and if you're here you can help me out."

Sasuke felt a small smile tug at his lips. _Weak excuse to keep me here, dobe. You're worried about me._ Right this moment, he was too tired and emotionally wrung out to protest. "Yeah, they'll overrun this place in an hour."

Naruto chuckled, the sound reverberating through Sasuke's body. "I'd be helpless without you, that's for sure. Besides, they both love you. They never mind me."

"It's because you don't make them mind," Sasuke pointed out. "You're a big pushover."

"I can't help it! They just look at me with their big brown eyes and I have to give in!"

This time, Sasuke smiled for real. With a little effort, he levered himself up. "I'm going to take a shower."

The blonde wanted to say it. Sasuke could see it in his cerulean eyes. _But you just took one last night._ He didn't say it, and Sasuke was grateful. He didn't want to have to explain that he could still feel Jin on his skin, could still smell him.

Once under the cascading water, he turned the heat up as much as he could tolerate. He had the impulse to scrub at least two layers of skin off, as if that would somehow help get rid of every lingering sensation of Jin's fingertips pressing into his neck hard enough to bruise. The hand grasping his wrist and yanking his arm behind his back so hard it wrenched his shoulder. The terrible feeling of violation that came when Jin completely disregarded his pleas to stop.

_Who the hell do you think you are, you asshole? How many others have you done this to?_ Allowing himself to sink into his anger, he pictured the face of that young man, crying as he exited Jin's apartment. Like Sasuke his hair was black. He was taller than Sasuke, though not by much. He was a little broader in the shoulders, but not much. Attractive.

_Did you do this to him, too? Did he only find out about me last night? Did you rape him, too?_

The anger was strangely cathartic. Finally, he felt like he could breathe a little. Enough that he could realize with absolute clarity, _This isn't my fault. _After all, rape victims often blamed themselves. Sasuke did not.

_This is the last time. I'm never going back to you, Jin. It doesn't matter what you say. I'm done._

When he got out of the shower, a pair of plain boxers and stonewashed jeans were neatly folded on the counter by the sink. There was also a red tee shirt. Grateful for Naruto's thoughtfulness and a tad alarmed he hadn't even heard his friend enter the bathroom, he dried off and got dressed. Naruto was sitting at the island with several notebooks and papers spread around his laptop.

Padding barefoot across the floor, Sasuke pulled a stool to sit opposite him. "What are you working on?"

"Just some new game designs," Naruto replied. "I have some sketchbooks if you want to draw?"

"Thanks," Sasuke accepted, and in short order his friend had brought him one and four pencils.

"I called Sakura and asked her to drop by the gallery and you apartment," Naruto told him after a moment of quiet. "She's bringing you some of your things, and she told your brother you won't be in for a few days."

Annoyed, Sasuke looked up to glare at him. "I'll take today off to assuage your concern, but I don't need a few days."

"Yeah ya do," Naruto blithely disagreed. "And Itachi said you need a vacation anyway. You don't have any big showings coming up, so you can relax for a bit."

Sasuke considered getting up and punching Naruto in his well-meaning face. Then the anger fizzled away into resignation. "Fine." Grudgingly, "It _would_ be nice not to have to work fourteen hours a day for a bit."

Smiling and looking pleased to have won so easily, Naruto went back to his work. "So, what have you been working on? Sakura said you were hoping to have three new pieces for the gallery show, and that a couple of new people had commissioned you?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said, getting comfortable and opening the sketchbook. "I've started all three pieces. They're . . . soft portraits of Sakura and Ino. One of each separate and one of them together. They're nude. I wanted to depict the beauty of the feminine form."

Naruto looked up, seeming impressed. "Damn. I can't wait to see them. What are Sakura and Ino doing together?" He gave Sasuke a ridiculously lascivious grin.

Sasuke snorted, giving the sketchbook his attention. "Nothing risqué, idiot. They're sitting on the bed, holding hands, eyes closed, foreheads touching."

"Oh," Naruto mused. "Well, that sounds really nice, actually. Sweet and intimate but not dirty."

"Itachi said it was the most ambitious piece I've ever done," Sasuke commented, pencil flowing over the paper. "I've wanted to do a conversation piece for a long time."

"I'm sure some private collector will snatch it up right away," Naruto said.

Sasuke just smiled absently. After that, silence fell. The only sounds were the tapping of Naruto's fingers on the keyboard and the faint scratching of Sasuke's pencil on the pad. It was peaceful, and Sasuke felt the rawness of yesterday beginning to fade at least a little. It no longer felt quite as terrible.

When his drawing began to take shape, his smile came back to find he'd sketched Naruto's profile without thinking about it. Last night, after Jin had . . . finished with Sasuke, he'd hauled him to the bed and dumped him there. Sasuke had passed out. When he woke up, the bedside clock said it was one-thirty in the morning.

He'd staggered out of bed, managing to get dressed and leave without waking Jin. Outside, he puked on the curb until he thought he would pass out again. His car was at his apartment, on the other side of the city. Sure, he could have called a cab, but all he could think was he wanted Naruto to come get him.

_I guess you're my safe place._

"Whatcha drawin'?" Naruto interrupted the quiet, startling Sasuke a little.

He blinked and looked at the sketch. Straightening, he pushed the pad toward Naruto. "Just doodling."

"Uh, doodles include stick figures and random geometrical shapes," Naruto said. "This is a work of art."

"It's a doodle," Sasuke countered, getting up and heading for the refrigerator. "My paintings at the gallery are art."

"Are you saying that because this is a sketch of _me_?" Naruto demanded, sounding huffy.

Sasuke managed not to smile. "Don't get offended, idiot. That's just the way of things."

"Ahaha, you jerk!"

Ducking the eraser Naruto chucked at his head, Sasuke poured himself a glass of orange juice and managed not to grin.

**o0o 0o0 o0o**

A week passed almost before Sasuke realized it.

He stayed with Naruto the entire time, and what he'd once thought impossible turned out to be surprisingly pleasant. Naruto was a messy roommate, but with very little badgering he picked up after himself. But Sasuke didn't want to wear out his welcome, so he finally decided to go home.

"Jin knows where you live," Naruto protested.

Sasuke was surprised to hear it. "I'd have thought you'd be glad to see me go. You can't bring any girls home."

"I don't want to bring any girls home," Naruto retorted in a curt tone.

Well, that was news. He shrugged. "Whatever you want, you can't do it while I'm taking up space. Besides, I'm planning to move. I don't really want to stay in a place that reminds me of everything I'd rather just move past."

Naruto nodded. "Want me to take you?"

"No. I'm going to walk to the gallery."

That was the plan, at least. Half way there, Sasuke changed his mind and hailed a taxi. When the cab dropped him off in front of his complex, Sasuke looked up the dozen stories or so. He hadn't been here in what felt like forever. He'd never even come to get his car. Sighing, he pushed his hand in his pocket and trudged inside.

His apartment was on the third floor, and like Naruto's it was roomy with rather expensive rent. Perks of belonging to a wealthy family—and being a modestly successful artist. For the first time it felt uninviting and cold. The personal touches were limited, giving it a utilitarian feel.

_I want a place with a loft. And closer to the gallery. Farther from where Jin lives._ Grimacing, he went to the bedroom and dug out his work sketchbook, paints, and car keys. He'd just finished putting his things in his car when a familiar voice called his name.

"Sasuke!"

He'd wondered a few times what he would do when he saw Jin again. The man knew where he lived, and he couldn't avoid him forever. When he straightened and faced the older man, he was calm and relatively . . . unbothered.

"What do you want?" he asked. Neither venom nor accusation colored his voice, which was good. Jin liked getting a rise out of Sasuke, and he would not give him the satisfaction.

"What do you mean, what do I want?" the man demanded, stopping in front of Sasuke. "I haven't been able to find you for a week. Where have you been?"

"Not here," Sasuke replied, turning to get into his car.

Jin managed to get an arm in front of him to stop him. "I finally catch you after a week and you're just going to leave? I don't think so. Not until we talk."

Sasuke sighed. "There's nothing to talk about," he said. "Unless you want closure? Fine. We're done. You can officially go hook up with whoever you want—if you haven't done so already." That had a bit of venom in it. Sasuke forced himself to calm down.

"What the fuck, baby?" Jin demanded. "You think I'll accept that? I'm crazy about you. No way I'm gonna let you storm out of my life in a huff!"

It was funny. It really was. Sasuke was tempted to laugh. Instead, he reached up and put his hand over Jin's, lightly pushing it away from the door of his car. "You can't stop me. I don't want to be with you."

"The fuck!" the man growled. "Why not?"

Sasuke looked up at him, peering into dark brown eyes for several seconds without speaking. _Are you really so deluded that you think I would just quietly take how you treated me and come crawling back to you?_ He lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

"I don't want you. I'm not sure I ever did. It was just flattering to be wanted by you."

"What the hell, you ungrateful little bitch?" Jin snarled.

His posture changed, the muscles in his shoulders tensing. Sasuke allowed his weight to fall slightly forward. "Don't you dare," he said softly.

"Don't what?" Jin all but sneered.

"Hit me," Sasuke replied. "You caught me off guard last time. It won't happen again."

He almost took a swing at Sasuke anyway. He could see it in the older man's eyes. Instead, his hands snaked out and grabbed Sasuke's upper arms, yanking him forward to kiss him. At least, that was his plan. Millimeters before those hateful lips landed on his, Sasuke put both hands up between Jin's arms and shoved out with sudden force, breaking the hold. His head snapped forward—right into Jin's nose.

The man staggered backward with an undignified yell, bending forward and holding his nose. Sasuke watched him with a strange sense of detachment.

"Goodbye, Jin," he said, getting into his car and closing the door. As he drove away, he didn't bother looking back. He'd driven almost a mile before his phone rang, Itachi's ringtone. "What is it, _aniki_(1)?"

"Where are you? Naruto called me and told me you were on your way here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Good grief. These two men had fussed over him quite a lot in the last week. "I just stopped by my apartment for a few things. I'm on my way."

"Good." The relief was audible. "Did anything happen?"

"I guess," Sasuke replied, feeling belligerent.

A slight pause. "You guess?"

"Yeah."

Another pause. A bit longer, this time. "And?"

Smirking, feeling better after tormenting his brother, Sasuke took pity. "I broke up with Jin."

"You did?" Surprise and more relief. "Well, I must say it's about time."

Sasuke snorted. "So tactful."

"He wasn't good enough for you," Itachi said, not sounding even slightly defensive. "Not ever."

"You probably think no man's good enough for me."

"There's just one," Itachi said, and he wouldn't elaborate.

'twas a comment that mystified Sasuke the rest of the day.

**o0o**

"So, where ya thinking you want to move?" Naruto asked.

"There's an apartment in this complex I want, actually," Sasuke replied. "Top floor. It has a loft."

Naruto's heart did a little jump for joy. Grinning, he nudged his best friend, who was sitting right beside him on the roof. "Decided you couldn't live without me?"

"More or less," Sasuke replied.

The dead-seriousness of his voice made Naruto stare at him in shock, then he caught the edges of a tiny grin. He laughed. "Man, you had me going for a sec!"

"Hn. _Dobe_." He sounded amused.

Grinning and feeling peaceful, Naruto returned his gaze to the cityscape. The sun was going down, splashing half a dozen colors across the sky. He loved sunsets. They reminded him of Sasuke's canvases. The comfortable silence lasted for a long time. The colors were beginning to soften from vivid oranges and pinks to softer blues and purples of dusk before Naruto spoke again.

"Ne, Sasuke. I love you, yanno." He glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye.

Sasuke didn't look at him. The bruising around his left eye had faded, but it was still pretty vivid. "Yeah, I kind of figured," he replied after a few seconds.

Naruto blinked. "You did?"

"Yes, moron. You flirt with me all the time and you're constantly touching me."

"But . . . but I thought you thought I was straight!" Naruto floundered.

Another second, then Sasuke broke into a beautiful smile. It lit up his dark, wondrous eyes. "_Baka_." He said nothing more.

After a long, shocked silence, Naruto broke into laughter. "Yeah, I am," he agreed readily enough.

_He just got out of a messy relationship. He's not ready for another one. Not yet._ But as surely as Naruto knew that, he also knew the time would come when Sasuke was ready.

And Naruto planned to be right there.


End file.
